If you have tumbled headlong into the marvellous virtual realms of Travis Bagwell’s Awaken Online and now find yourself quite bereft, then pray, do not despair. For the world of LitRPG and GameLit brims with adventures every bit as thrilling, and we shall be your faithful guides through these digital wonderlands.
Awaken Online captured our hearts with its dark antihero Jason, its wickedly immersive VRMMO world, and that delicious tension between virtual triumph and real-world consequence. The books that follow share this same enchanting spirit.
Ascend Online by Luke Chmilenko
Here we find Marcus and his merry band of friends diving into a revolutionary new game, only to discover that adventures—like children who refuse bedtime—have a way of becoming rather more complicated than expected. Marcus finds himself separated from his companions, thrust into a village besieged by goblins, and somehow becomes the unlikely saviour of pixelated peasants everywhere.
What makes this tale so wonderfully reminiscent of Awaken Online is its town-building heart. Where Jason built a necromantic empire, Marcus builds community—and both require that special sort of stubborn determination that makes heroes out of ordinary souls.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Now, we must warn you that this tale is not for the faint of heart, though it possesses a humour most wickedly delightful. When aliens flatten every building on Earth and open stairways to a subterranean death game, Carl—a Coast Guard veteran—must survive alongside his ex-girlfriend’s cat, the magnificently named Princess Donut.
The genius lies in its absurdity. Where Awaken Online explored the darkness within gaming, Dungeon Crawler Carl examines survival with biting wit. The series has achieved such acclaim that a television adaptation is underway, and the seventh book reached second place on The New York Times Best Seller List.
He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon
Jason Asano—an Australian young man with a tongue sharper than any sword—finds himself transported to a world where magic flows like water and danger lurks behind every corner. Dropped naked into a blood cult’s hedge maze (as one does), Jason must master affliction-based powers whilst maintaining his characteristic irreverence.
Like Jason from Awaken Online, this Jason recognises every genre trope he’s forced to live through, and the self-awareness makes for delicious reading. The progression system focuses on percentages rather than numbers, giving it a unique flavour among its peers.
The Land (Chaos Seeds) by Aleron Kong
Ah, the series that many call the foundation stone of American LitRPG! Richter finds himself transported to a fantasy world where game mechanics are terrifyingly real, and the world-building rivals the great epics of fantasy literature.
If you devoured Awaken Online for its intricate game systems and stat progressions, The Land shall satisfy that hunger tenfold. The series excels at making its virtual world feel almost tangible, though we should note that later books may test your patience for detailed skill explanations.
The Way of the Shaman by Vasily Mahanenko
Picture, if you will, a man sentenced to serve his imprisonment within a virtual world—not as holiday, but as punishment. Daniel Mahan becomes a Shaman Jeweler in Barliona, a combination so rare it borders on impossible, and must navigate a world where other prisoners and free players alike pose constant threats.
This Russian import (beautifully translated) shares Awaken Online’s theme of consequence and stakes. The protagonist isn’t playing for fun—survival itself hangs in the balance.
The Completionist Chronicles by Dakota Krout
Joe enters a game world with one singular obsession: complete everything. Every quest, every achievement, every hidden corner must be explored. When he unlocks the rare Ritualist class, his completionist nature leads him down paths most players never discover.
Dakota Krout brings a wonderfully punny sensibility to his work, and the series shares DNA with his Divine Dungeon novels. For readers who loved the mechanical intricacies of Awaken Online, Joe’s methodical approach to mastery provides similar satisfaction.
Life Reset by Shemer Kuznits
Oren dominated New Era Online until betrayal trapped him in the body of a lowly goblin—permanently. Stripped of his powers, unable to log out, he must rebuild from nothing using the most despised race in the game.
This tale of rebirth and revenge mirrors Awaken Online’s underdog spirit magnificently. The town-building elements shine brightest here, as Oren transforms a weak goblin settlement into something formidable. The completed six-book series offers a satisfying journey from start to finish.
Viridian Gate Online by J.A. Hunter
When an extinction-level asteroid hurtles toward Earth, Jack Mitchel makes the ultimate gamble: permanently upload his consciousness into a VRMMO, killing his physical body to live forever in digital form. It’s rather like Peter Pan’s eternal youth, except with more apocalyptic stakes.
The premise shares Awaken Online’s tension between virtual and physical existence, but escalates it to ultimate consequences. The expanded universe spans fourteen novels across five series, offering endless adventures for the committed reader.
The Dark Herbalist by Michael Atamanov
Timothy takes a job testing a VRMMO alongside his disabled sister, choosing to play a goblin herbalist—a combination that makes other players point and laugh. Yet in games, as in life, the underestimated often achieve the most remarkable things.
Like Awaken Online, this series splits its attention between game world and reality, with both protagonists streaming their gameplay to audiences. The sibling relationship adds emotional depth uncommon in the genre.
The Good Guys by Eric Ugland
A man at his lowest point receives an unexpected offer: abandon his ruined life for a chance at rebirth in iNcarn8. As Montana, a larger-than-life tank warrior, he must navigate a world where his real-world trauma and virtual adventures intertwine in unexpected ways.
The series excels at balancing humour with genuine emotional stakes. Montana isn’t the typical gaming prodigy—he’s a loveable oaf who makes mistakes, learns, and grows. The audiobook narration by Neil Hellegers elevates the experience tremendously.
Dungeon Born by Dakota Krout
Cal awakens as a Dungeon Core—a soul imprisoned in magical stone—and must grow his domain to survive. With the help of an energetic wisp named Dani, he designs traps, cultivates monsters, and consumes adventurers foolish enough to plumb his depths.
This tale offers a delightful perspective shift . Rather than playing the hero, you become the challenge heroes must overcome. The cultivation elements add Eastern fantasy flavour to Western gaming traditions.
Eden’s Gate by Edward Brody
Gunnar Long escapes his dreary existence through full-immersion virtual reality, only to find that Eden’s Gate offers something far more meaningful than escape: a home, friends, and genuine purpose. But the outside world wants this paradise destroyed.
The series captures that specific joy of finding belonging in digital spaces—something Awaken Online understood perfectly. Village building, guild creation, and dungeon crawling await.
The Ripple System by Kyle Kirrin
Ned Altimer purchases exclusive early access to Earth Blood Online, expecting three peaceful days alone in a new VRMMO. The game’s designer has other plans, saddling Ned with a powerful-but-snarky AI companion and announcing to all future players that killing Ned drops the most valuable item in existence.
Kyle Kirrin brings literary credentials uncommon in the genre, and it shows. The writing sparkles with wit, the stakes feel genuine, and the concept of world-altering player choices creates fascinating consequences.
Finding Your Next Adventure
Each of these tales offers something unique whilst sharing Awaken Online’s essential magic: the belief that virtual worlds matter, that digital achievements can touch our hearts, and that somewhere within all these statistics and skill trees beats the pulse of genuine adventure.
For those craving dark antiheroes, Dungeon Crawler Carl and He Who Fights with Monsters await. For town-builders and empire-dreamers, Ascend Online and Life Reset call. For those who wish to become the dungeon rather than delve it, Dungeon Born offers new perspective.
Whatever path you choose, know that the LitRPG genre grows richer with each passing year, and new adventures—like new stars appearing in an evening sky—continue to emerge for those willing to look upward and believe.
